Nevertheless, the Texas border city has just barely cracked a list of the top five consumer markets that buy the most “sweats and sweat items.”

As Pat Loeb of CBS Philly reported, Philadelphia was number one in this important survey.

“Among the 209 designated market areas in the United States, Philadelphia is the highest ranking when it comes to the mean number of sweats and sweat items that are purchased each year,” says John Fetto, a researcher for Experian Marketing, which studies consumer habits across the country.

Fetto says Philadelphia leads a top five list that includes Hartford, Pittsburgh, Lafayette, Louisiana and Laredo, Texas, but he warns against reading too much into that.

“There’s no shame in wearing sweats, I don’t think. I think there are probably plenty of fashionable sweat options that are out there.”

And he says the preference for sweat suits is not necessarily a fashion statement; he can think of other reasons Philadelphia may rank so high.

“Maybe people wear sweats because they’re more physically active and have more activities.”

Is that it? Does Laredo love to get its workout on? And if so, shouldn’t McAllen make the list, what with all those winter Texans walking in the indoor malls?

Other reasons Laredoans may be partial to sweat suits:

Juicy Couture has yet to go out of fashion in Laredo.

Everybody dresses up as George Costanza for Halloween in Laredo.

Sweatpants are the only thing you want to wear after that second plate of enchiladas.